Scaly leg mites

[aart]

So if the scaly leg mites mostly stay on the chickens, does all bedding still need to be removed? What about any run bedding?

No and No........

Everything I read said they live in the wood in the coop

I believe you are thinking of Roost Mites, not Scaly Leg Mites.

 

[Pippin quail]

No and No........

Thanks! I was already in the process of removing the bedding from the coop and didn't see your answer. I will just let them spread it around their run now and not haul the last few loads to my garden tomorrow.

Also, whenever anyone talks about "just pluck the hens from the roosting bar at night and treat them", obviously has much calmer chickens than I do! The 2 chickens with scaly leg mites are new to the flock and not used to being handled by me as much. So, there was a lot of flapping and squawking and one container of olive oil spilled all over the coop floor. It had some tea tree and lavender oil in it, so at least it smells good in there now. I left the rest of the chickens, who aren't actually infected (that I know of) to treat in the daylight! Lol

 

[Ladybug7252]

Thanks! I was already in the process of removing the bedding from the coop and didn't see your answer. I will just let them spread it around their run now and not haul the last few loads to my garden tomorrow.

Also, whenever anyone talks about "just pluck the hens from the roosting bar at night and treat them", obviously has much calmer chickens than I do! The 2 chickens with scaly leg mites are new to the flock and not used to being handled by me as much. So, there was a lot of flapping and squawking and one container of olive oil spilled all over the coop floor. It had some tea tree and lavender oil in it, so at least it smells good in there now. I left the rest of the chickens, who aren't actually infected (that I know of) to treat in the daylight! Lol

I feel your pain, I have done a Vaseline treatment every night and some bathing of their legs on most nights and thankfully it’s gotten easier and they are used to it now. It’s been a week and a half of doing it consistently lol. I’m tired

 

[Pippin quail]

I feel your pain, I have done a Vaseline treatment every night and some bathing of their legs on most nights and thankfully it’s gotten easier and they are used to it now. It’s been a week and a half of doing it consistently lol. I’m tired

Every night?! That sounds awful. I think I'll try to give a couple nights between applications. Although the one crazy hen who knocked over my container of oil doesn't seem to actually have the mites, so might just skip her! The two who for sure have it actually seemed to enjoy their pedicure, once they relaxed. My 9 year old daughter did the cleaning and oiling while I held them. Next time I might have to enlist my husband to do the plucking off the roost part, which was the hardest part... Why do they all have to cram themselves onto the highest one?? Lol

 

[aart]

Also, whenever anyone talks about "just pluck the hens from the roosting bar at night and treat them", obviously has much calmer chickens than I do!

Or they have better technique
Gotta grab them with both hands holding wings against body.
I sit in a chair with a long apron as a sling.

 

[Ladybug7252]

Every night?! That sounds awful. I think I'll try to give a couple nights between applications. Although the one crazy hen who knocked over my container of oil doesn't seem to actually have the mites, so might just skip her! The two who for sure have it actually seemed to enjoy their pedicure, once they relaxed. My 9 year old daughter did the cleaning and oiling while I held them. Next time I might have to enlist my husband to do the plucking off the roost part, which was the hardest part... Why do they all have to cram themselves onto the highest one?? Lol

I only have 5 hens and one rooster so wasn’t too bad and I was doing it alone. The Vaseline part is quick, the washing of the feet is what took a while. I treated them all just incase as younger birds can still have them but older ones show more signs, which was true in my case. My young black chicken had no signs but she is a year younger. I finally skipped Vaseline last night for the first time. Will do every second day until Saturday then switch to weekly.
I also disinfected the entire coop which took a while. Good luck!!

 

[Pippin quail]

Or they have better technique
Gotta grab them with both hands holding wings against body.
I sit in a chair with a long apron as a sling.

I did do this with the ones I could reach easily. Unfortunately some I had to grab and then pin their wings after they flapped in my face for a minute because the height and angle I could get them just wasn't able to pin their wings with my arms fully extended and leaning over the lower rungs. I quite often wish we had a coop camera so I could see how hilarious I look doing chicken stuff sometimes.

But I decided after last night that I'm lowering or removing my top roosting bar. I have a ladder style so they can jump from one to the next... But trying to get them off that top one where they were all bunched up was quite difficult. Also I have 3 new hens in my flock whose wings are clipped and it's actually painful to watch them try to get up there. And then they sometimes get pushed off and don't have much wing to flap to soften their landing, so for their sakes I'll be doing it today.

 

[Pippin quail]

I only have 5 hens and one rooster so wasn’t too bad and I was doing it alone. The Vaseline part is quick, the washing of the feet is what took a while. I treated them all just incase as younger birds can still have them but older ones show more signs, which was true in my case. My young black chicken had no signs but she is a year younger. I finally skipped Vaseline last night for the first time. Will do every second day until Saturday then switch to weekly.
I also disinfected the entire coop which took a while. Good luck!!

Yeah I currently have a total of 33! Thankfully there's only 14 in the actual coop that I have to treat. 12 are chicks in the brooder and 7 are cockerels in a rooster run. I think I got 6 done last night in the dark with a flashlight before I gave up. I'll try again this evening before it's pitch black!

 

[Ladybug7252]

Or they have better technique
Gotta grab them with both hands holding wings against body.
I sit in a chair with a long apron as a sling.

I do as well, hold them against my side for each foot I’m cleaning.

 

[Pippin quail]

I do as well, hold them against my side for each foot I’m cleaning.

I'll try the apron and sitting in a chair with them pinned against my side too. I was just using my hands to hold their wings down and hold them up at the same time for my daughter to wash and dip. Will probably get easier with practice and them getting used to it.